MANILA - PHILIPPINE police arrested an alleged Singaporean drugs courier shortly after his arrival at Manila airport, a spokesman said on Friday.
Soa Kiam Hwee, 36, was taken into custody after he arrived from Thailand on Thursday with about 4kg of methamphetamine hydrochloride, a banned stimulant locally known as 'shabu'.
'The contraband was wrapped in (a) transparent plastic bag together with different currencies,' national police spokesman Chief Superintendent Agrimero Cruz said in a statement.
'The passenger is an alleged illegal drugs courier and the recovered items were turned over by the customs police officers to drug enforcement agents for proper disposition.'
Asian and US authorities have said the Philippines is a major trans-shipment hub for illegal drugs in the region, mostly by syndicates with known links to Chinese triads.
Drug trafficking in the Philippines is punishable by life in jail.
-- AFP